Universal bumper clamp



Aug. 3, 1948. Q H, DUNLML 2,446,218

UNIVERSAL BUMPER CLAMP Filed sept. so, 1947 INVENTOR. oRV/LLE l-l. DUNLAP Patented Aug. 3, 1948 c c. i l "UNITED .-UNIvERsALBUMeERi CLAMP Y rville H. Dunlap, Vashon, Wash. ,t '.Applimionsepiember 30, 1.947., .seriammvaesa This invention relates tol clampV devices, and more particularly to a clamp devicelj'fo'r attaching a 'trailer hitch structure orthejlike to an automobile bumper. l

A'` main objectvofthfe invention iis to. provide a novel .and improved clamp device suitable .for attachment'` to an .automobile bumper, said `clamp device being very siinpleviniconstruction, easy to install andjproviding avery .secure grip on the bumper. b

.A further object of` the inventionisio provide an improved trailer hitch structure Aadaptedtobe fastenedto automobile bumpers over Aa avide range of automobile body designs, the clamping ,means employed Tbeing engageable merely with the top and bottom edge portions of the bumpers, whereby no encirclement of the bumpers is required, thus enabling the hitch device to be attached to a vehicle without alteration or marring of the body of the vehicle.

Furtherobjects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through a trailer hitch device constructed in accordance'with the present invention and shown mounted on an automobile bumper.

Figure 2 is a front elevational detail view of the main body portion of the hitch device of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail elevational view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail elevational view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

In many modern automobile body designs the space between the body and the rear bumper is spanned by a. metal splash plate, also functioning to enhance the streamlined appearance of the body. Such a splash plate is shown at I I in Figure 1, the rear bumper being designated at I2. Under these conditions, the conventional trailer hitch structure usually cannot be secured to the rear bumper without cutting away parts oi the splash plate I I, since most conventional hitch structures employ bumper clamps which substantially encircle the bumper. A main purpose of the present invention to obviate the necessity of cutting or modifying the splash plate when the hitch structure is to be fastened to the bumper.

Referring to the drawings, I3 designates a trailer hitch main body member, said body member comprising a top sleeve element I4 carried on a vertical post member I5 which is received in a comme. (c1. zsof-ssfrsif bottom vertical sleeve member I6 and secured' thereto, uas will be presently described, by. a nut I 1, threaded on the lower end portioriwofsaidfpost member I5'. The .top sleeve element I4is iforrnecl` with an` aperture `I8 in its vtop wall for receiving the hitch pin of a conventional trailer hitch.

4I-rojecting forwardly from the lmainbody inem.-` Y

ber I5 below the topsleeve member I4. is an arm I 3, and@ projecting forwardly from the bottom sleeve I3" is .an arm. 2li.,` ,parallel toand of ,equal length `with arm i9. ,Atl their opposingend por-` tions, arms I9 andIZUare formedwith respactive` semi.-cylindricalA transverse recesses `2i .and 2.2L

Engaging thel top edge of bumper I2 .isa .lug member -23,formed1with.a groove 24 in which the bumper "top edge is, received. Engaging .thelbotv tom edge of;4 'the bumper ,is .a .second lug .member 25 formed with a groove 26 in which the bottom edge of the bumper is received. Lug member 25 is formed with a rearwardly projecting arm 21 which is formed at its underside with a semicylindrical transverse recess 28.

Secured to the respective lug members 23 and 25, at 29 and 30 respectively are the end links 3I and 32 of a length of sprocket chain 33. The arm 21 fits between the side links 34, 34 of the chain 33 and receives a connecting pin sleeve 35 of the chain in its bottom semi-cylindrical recess 28. Received in the respective semi-cylindrical recesses 2l and 22 of the arms I9 and 20 are the connecting pin sleeves 36 and 31 at the ends of the respective pairs of adjacent chain links 38 and 39, the planes of said adjacent pair of chain links being angled towards each other by the clamping action of the arms I9 and 20 as the nut I1 is tightened, the pin connection 40 between said angled pairs of links being received between said arms I9 and 20, as shown in Figure 1. The clamping action thus obtained causes the links of the chain to conform to the curvature of the bumper I2, no matter how sharply it is curved, and provides clamping tension at the lug members 23 and 25 to rmly secure them to the top and bottom edges of the bumper. At the same time, the body member I3 is rigidly secured to said bumper.

The body -member I 3 is readily detachable from the bumper I2 by merely loosening the nut I1'. The chain 33 is of suiicient length to allow the device to t a wide range of bumper shapes and sizes.

While a specific embodiment of a bumper clamp structure for a trailer hitch has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modiications within the spirit of fh 3 invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention other than as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bumper clamp for a trailer hitch comprising a top lug adapted to engage the top edge of a bumper, a bottom lug adapted to engage the bottom edge of the bumper, alength'of sprocket chain connecting said top and bottom lugs, abody member having an arm adapted to engage d-ownwardly on a transverse pin of said chain, said body member'havinig a depending rod portion, a sleeve member slidably mounted on said rod portion, an arm carried by said sleeve member adapted to engage upwardly against a second transsecond transverse pin of said chain, said body member having a depending rod portion, a sleeve member slidably mounted on said rod portion, an

arm rprojecting from said sleeve member formed with a recess in its top surface adapted to enverse pin of said chain, and' a nut 'threaded on the lower end of said rod portion adapted to bear upwardly on said sleeve member to tense said chain. I 2. A bumper clamp for a trailer hitch comprising a top lug groovedto engage the top edge of abuzmper, .a bottom lug grooved to engage the bottom edge of said bumper, alength of sprocket chain connecting, said top and bottom lugs, an

arm carried by said bottom lug adapted to engage downwardlyr on a transverse pin of said chain to resist upward movement thereof, a body member having an arm adapted to engage downwardly on a` second transverse pin of said chain, said body member having a dependingrod portion, asleeve member slidably mounted on said rod portion, an arm projecting from said sleeve member adapted to yengage upwardly vagainst a' third transverse pin of said chain, anda nut'threaded on the lower end of said rod portion adapted to bear upwardly on rsaid' sleevemember to tense said chain.

lgage under a third transverse pin of said chain,

and a nut vthreaded on the lower end of said rod portion adapted to bear upwardly on said sleeve member to tense said chain.l A l 4.. A bumper clamp comprising a lugvadapte'd to engage one edge of a bumper, asecond lug yadapted tov engage the opposite edge of the bumper, a length of sprocket chainconnectng saidflugs',` a body member having an arm adapted to engage a' first transverse pin 'of' said chain, saidbody carrying a rod portion, a sleeve memberslidably mounted on said rodlportiongandr arm carried' by said sleeve member adapted to engage a second transverse pin of said chain, and a nut threaded on said rod portion adaptedto bear'against said sleeve member to move the arm thereoftoward the arm of said bodymemberto. thereby tense thechain. i

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